What Do You See?
by Dragonwriterofthenight
Summary: You can only see a thestral if you've seen death...


**I just finished watching Torchwood: Children of Earth and I'm seriously feeling the feels. Don't worry, I haven't forgotten my other story, but I need to put up this one-shot while I'm still feeling it.**

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So this was it. The magical school -the greatest in the world. Hogwarts. A very odd name for a school.

Captain Jack Harkness sighed at the magnificent castle. Storn clouds covered much of the area making it seem even more ominous. The sun barely shone through despite it being midday.

Jack didn't want to do this. He was tired. Not physically. No, he rarely got that kind of tired. But he was tired in just about every other way. Emotionally, mentally, spiritually. Just not physically. He wish he was. Then he could simply sleep away his worries. He could take that eternal nap and let the rest of the world worry on getting by without him. Yes, Jack was tired. He was tired of living.

How long had he been in Torchwood now? It seemed like forever. Each day it was the same: get an assignment, and do it. Every decade or so, his old boss would die and he would get a new one. He would watch as they all grew old around him, or get killed on a mission gone wrong, as he stayed the exact same way. No change, ever. Not even when the staff changed in Torchwood.

Jack's life was one, long, monotonous game. It was a constant repeat of dying and living and dying again. And now, he had to get some alien artifact that had found its way into a magical school in Scotland. Jack didn't even knew magic existed. The Doctor would probably have some scientific explanation for it.

"A long time ago, aliens with the ability to bend the world around them came to earth and found it inhabited by humans..." Jack chuckled at the thought. Maybe these magical kids have some kind of alien remnant in them or...something. Jack considered doing a scan as he came to the edge of the forest that surrounded the school. He might find something...

Jack's thoughts were interrupted when a magnificent, black beast landed before him. At first glance, Jack would probably call it a Pegasus. But closer inspection showed that it had harder, almost scales for skin and a different body shape to that of a horse.

The strange creature snorted and moved closer, prompting the captain to move back. Jack's hand went to his holster while he wondered if magical creatures could be killed with a gun.

"It's okay," a soft voice behind him said. Jack whirled around, gun out, to see a young, teenage girl staring at him. She had waist length dirty blonde hair and wide, grey eyes that seemed to look past him. "It won't hurt you," the girl continued, "Not unless you hurt it first."

Jack wasn't really sure why he put his gun away, but he did. "Who are you?" he asked.

"My name is Luna," she replied, "What is yours?"

"Captain Jack Harkness."

"Oh. You are Torchwood, right?" Luna asked next.

"How do you know that?" Jack said quickly as his hand started to creep back to his gun.

"I've heard of you," Luna replied, oblivious to his harsh tone. "I know about aliens too. In fact, I do believe thestrals are aliens," Luna said, gesturing to the creature beside them, "You can only see them if you have seen death."

Jack looked at the thestral closely. Come to think of it, he did vaguely remember some kindnof alien that could only be seen by those who had witnessed death. But they looked a bit different. "I think you're right," Jack replied after a moments thought, "But I think they've changed a bit since coming here. To adapt better to earth."

"That makes sense," Luna said in her misty voice. "Are you here for the thestrals, Captain Jack Harkness? Because they are alien?"

"No. I'm here for a piece of alien technology in the school."

"I see. You are probably looking for the sonic screwdriver in Professor Dumbledore's -he's the headmaster- office," Luna replied.

"Sonic...screwdriver?" Jack said slowly, "How do you know that?"

"I once met a funny man who had something like that and that's what he called it," Luna said, "Aliens were at my home, you see, and the man came in and stopped them. They killed my mother though. We pretend that she died in a spells accident."

"What was this man's name?" Jack asked.

"He didn't have a name. He just said he was the Doctor. Have you met the Doctor?"

"Yes, I have," Jack stated simply, "I'm looking for him."

"Well, if you see him, give him my best. And tell him thank you for me. He left so quickly the last time I never got a chance."

Jack smiled at the girl before him. "I'll do that," he said while wondering about the sonic screwdriver. The Doctor probably dropped it and the wizard guy just happened to find it. Who else looks at a screwdriver and thinks it should be more sonic?

"Thank you," Luna said. Then she turned to the thestral and pulled out a piece of meat. She tossed it to the beast, and smiled as he gobble it up. Jack reached out tentatively and slowly petted its neck.

"I'm glad that thestrals are aliens," Luna said out of the blue.

Jack looked at her strangly. "Why?"

"Because then I know that not all aliens are bad, like the ones who killed my mother. If these are nice, then there must be others out there who are nice also. Have you met lots of aliens?"

Jack sighed. "Oh, yeah. Tons. I'm actually from the future. I was a time traveler until I met the Doctor. We parted ways, until I wanted to find him again. Now I'm kinda stuck here, until he comes along, which I know he eventually will."

The thestral came over and nuzzled Jack and made soft horse sounds. "It likes you," Luna told him, "They can smell death. Have you seen a lot of it?"

Jack looked off into the distance as he recalled everything from his very long life. "Yes," he replied, almost a whisper, "Yes, I have. I've been in so many wars. Only a small portion of them were actually on earth. I've done so many things that I am not proud of." Jack's eyes misted over as he remembered everything: he let go of Grey's hand, he gave those children over to the aliens, he accidentally created a mindless child with a gasmask for a face, he served in both World Wars, he stole a man's name for his own, and so much more.

"Are you okay?" Luna's voice brought him back to reality.

He looked down at her, eyes red. "Fine," he said, "But I see so many things." He looked away again.

"What do you see?"

Jack's eyes moved towards her slowly, dragging all the pain with them. "Death," he answered.

Luna did not offer her condolences, or say nice things that she didn't mean. Instead, she took Jack's hand in her own and said with a small, sad smile, "I hope you find the Doctor."

She let go and turned to go, but Jack stopped her saying, "Wait!" Luna turned around. "You know where the sonic screwdriver is?"

"Of course," Luna replied and gave him a quizzical look.

Jack wiped his eyes and asked, "You wanna do me a favor?"


End file.
